all nations and for all ages, the Holy Catholic Catholic Church spread to several sections of the The Apostolic Line defended by Zeger van Espen, the famed canonist Church. The Polish National Catholic Church was United States of America and Canada. of Louvain University. organized within this historic continuity, descended A Vicar Apostolic, Peter Codde, consecrated Bishop Varlet consecrated four Archbishops from the Holy Catholic Church that our Lord Jesus as Bishop at Brussels, Belgium in 1689, supported of Utrecht. After Varlet’s death Bishop Meinhardt Christ established after His Resurrection in the Jansenist movement and organized a Jansenist (the last consecrated by him) established the Jerusalem. Church. He was elected Archbishop by the Bishopric of Haarlem in 1742 and the Bishopric The Polish National Catholic Church mirrors Chapter of Utrecht. During this episcopate he of Deventer in 1752. Meinhardt’s successor was the same organizational principles that Christ gave refused to sign the formulary of Pope Alexander consecrated by the Bishop of Haarlem, who to the apostles. It possesses and safeguards the VII and died without recantation in 1710. The maintained the line of succession that continues same faith that He deposited with them; it believes Church at Utrecht joined with the French to our day. in the doctrine, governance and worship of the “Appelants” in their resistance to the Bull, primitive Apostolic Church. “Unigenitus” (The Only Begotten), issued in 1713 The apostolic line of the Archbishops of by Pope Clement XI. Utrecht in communion with the Roman Catholic Bishop Church is as follows: Francis Frederick Schenck, 1560-1580 Sasbold Vosmeer, 1602-1614 Hodur Bishop Hodur’s consecration at St. Gertrude’s Philip Rovenius, 1620-1651 Cathedral in Utrecht, Holland on September Jam del la Torre, 1651-1661 Historically 29, 1907 J. van Neerchasel, 1661-1686 speaking, the Peter Codde, 1688-1710 beginning of the The First Synod of the Polish National Catholic After the break from Roman jurisdiction: Polish National Church was held in September 1904 in Scranton. C. van Steenhoven, 1724-1725 Catholic Church in This first synod represented some 20,000 adherents Cor. J. Barchman Wuytiers, 1725-1733 the United States and interested individuals and organizations from T. van der Croon, 1734-1739 of America took five states. It was during this gathering that Rev. P. J. Meinhardt, 1739-1767 place in 1897 in Francis Hodur was elected as the first bishop by Walter van Neuwenhuisen, 1768-1797 Scranton, the representatives of the Synod. Bishop Francis J. J. van Rhyn, 1797-1808 Bishop Francis Hodur Pennsylvania. At Hodur was consecrated in 1907 in Utrecht, Bishop Leon Grochowski, Bishop Francis W. van Os, 1814-1825 that time a group Holland. Consecrating him were Archbishop Bonczak, Prime Bishop Francis Hodur and J. van Santen, 1825-1858 of Polish Americans, consisting of about 300 Gerard Gul of Utrecht, Bishop John Van Thiel of Bishop Jan Gritenas after the consecration on Henry Loos, 1858-1873 families, called Rev. Francis Hodur for guidance Haarlem, and Bishop Peter Spit of Deventer. The August 17, 1924 John Heykamp, 1875-1892 and leadership. Together they organized the first consecration of the Most Rev. Francis Hodur gave Gerard Gul, 1892-1920 Polish National Catholic Parish of St. Stanislaus, the Polish National Catholic Church a share in the The Church of Utrecht kept up a supply of Fr. Kenninck, 1920-1978 Bishop and Martyr in Scranton. Rev. Francis Western line of Apostolic Succession. The priests by sending their candidates with dimissorials A. Rinkel, 1937-1978 Hodur was then a priest of the Roman Catholic doctrine of Apostolic Succession means that, to French Appelant Catholic bishops for ordination Marius Kok, 1978-1981 Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania and pastor of according to the institution of Christ, the bishops to the Holy Priesthood. Antonius Jan Glazemaker, 1982-1999 Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Parish in Nanticoke, succeed one another in an unbroken chain from In 1723 the Chapter of Utrecht chose Joris Vercammen, 2000-present Pennsylvania. Christ Himself through the apostles and their lawful Cornelius Van Steenhoven, formerly Vicar The Polish National Catholic Church was successors to the present time. This doctrine of General to the Archbishop of Utrecht, as bishop. In November 2003 the Polish National organized within the context of the emerging Apostolic Succession continues to be upheld by He was consecrated by Dominique Marie Varlet, Catholic Church was separated from the Union of movement of nationalism. Established on the the Polish National Catholic Church. French Appelant Catholic Bishop of Babylon. The Utrecht. basis of democratic catholicity, the Polish National legitimacy and canonicity of this consecration was Bishops of the Polish National Rt. Rev. Thomas Gnat, consecrated Scranton, PA, written about a long time earlier. The apostles Catholic Church November 30, 1978 (1936 - ) knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there Rt. Rev. Joseph Zawistowski consecrated would be strife for the office of bishop. For Scranton, PA, November 30, 1978 (1918 - this reason, therefore, having received perfect Most Rev. Francis Hodur, consecrated Utrecht, 2001) foreknowledge, they appointed those who have Holland, September 29, 1907 (1866-1953) Most Rev. John Swantek, consecrated Scranton, already been mentioned and afterwards added Most Rev. Leon Grochowski, consecrated PA, November 30, 1978 (1933 - ) further provision that, if they should die, other Scranton, PA, August 17, 1924 (1886-1969) Rt. Rev. Thaddeus Peplowski consecrated Buffalo, approved men should succeed to their Rt. Rev. Francis Bonczak, consecrated Scranton, NY, November 30, 1990 (1936 - ) ministry.” (St. Clement of Rome, [A.D. 80] PA, August 17, 1924 (1881-1967) Most Rev. Robert Nemkovich consecrated Epistle to the Corinthians, 42:4-5, 44:1-3). Rt. Rev. Valentine Gawrychowski, consecrated Apostolic Succession Scranton, PA, October 18, 1993 (1942 - ) “When I was in Rome, I visited Anicetus, Scranton, PA, August 17, 1924 (1870-1934) Rt. Rev. Joseph Tomczyk, consecrated Scranton, whose deacon was Eleutherus. And after Anicetus In The Rt. Rev. John Gritenas, consecrated Scranton, PA, PA, October 18, 1993 (1935 - 1995) died, Soter succeeded, and after him Eleutherus. August 17, 1924 for the Lithuanian National Polish National Rt. Rev. Casimir Grotnik, consecrated Scranton, In each succession and in each city there is a Catholic Church (1884-1928) PA, November 30, 1999 (1935 - 2005) continuance of what is proclaimed by Law, the Catholic Church Rt. Rev. John Jasinski, consecrated Scranton, PA, Rt. Rev. Jan Dawidziuk, consecrated Scranton, Prophets, and the Lord.” (Hegesippus, circa A.D. June 7, 1928 (1888-1951) PA, November 30, 1999 (1937 - 2012) 180, Memoirs, 4:22:1) Rt. Rev. John Misiaszek, consecrated Scranton, In the Old Testament, when God established Rt. Rev. Sylvester Bigaj, consecrated Scranton, “It is possible then for everyone in every PA, August 26, 1936 (1903-1972) His Covenant with the nation of Israel, He provided PA, November 30, 2006 (1959 - ) church who may wish to know the truth, to Rt. Rev. Joseph Padewski, consecrated Scranton, for a living, continuing authority in the Mosaic Rt. Rev. Anthony Kopka, consecrated Scranton, contemplate the tradition of the apostles which PA, August 26, 1936 (1894-1951) priesthood (cf. 2 Chronicles 19:11; Malachi 2:7). PA, November 30, 2006 (1955 - ) had been made known to us throughout the whole Rt. Rev. Joseph Lesniak, consecrated Scranton, This authority did not end when the Old Testament Rt. Rev. John Mack, consecrated Scranton, PA, world. And we are in a position to enumerate PA, November 16, 1937 (1890-1979) Scripture was written, rather it continued as the November 30, 2006 (1955 - ) those who were instituted bishops by the apostles Rt. Rev. Joseph Soltysiak, consecrated Scranton, safeguard and authentic interpreter of the Sacred Most Rev. Anthony Mikovsky, consecrated and their successors down to our time, men who PA, April 23, 1952 (1895-1973) Scripture. Scranton, PA, November 30, 2006 (1966 - ) neither knew nor taught anything like which the Most Rev. Thaddeus Zielinski, consecrated When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Rt. Rev. Paul Sobiechowski, consecrated Scranton, heretics rave about…Surely they wished all those Buffalo, NY, September 2, 1954 (1904-1990) established His Church, He fulfilled this living, PA, October 18, 2011 (1954 - ) and their successors, to whom they handed on their Rt. Rev. Joseph Kardas, consecrated Buffalo, NY, continuing authority to teach (Matthew 28:19-20), authority, to be perfect and without reproach.” September 2, 1954 (1898-1958) govern (John 21:17) and sanctify (Luke 19; (Irenaeus, circa A.D. 180-199, “Against Heresies, Most Rev. Francis Rowinski, consecrated How Did The Early Church View Matthew 28:19; John 20:23), in His name. This 3:3:1). Chicago, IL, May 9, 1959 (1918-1990) Apostolic Succession? living authority is called “apostolic” because it Church Doctrine Commission Rt. Rev. Eugene Magyar, consecrated Scranton, has its origin in the twelve apostles and continues Polish National Catholic Church PA, June 29, 1963 for the Slovak National The first Christians had no doubts about how with their successors. It is this apostolic authority 2007 Catholic Church (1909-1968) to determine which claimant, among the many that preserves and authentically interprets the competing new sects, was a true Church. The test The Most Rev. Robert Nemkovich Revelation of